Lights in the Bitterroot Sky Sunday

The Northern Lights played in the Sunday night sky June 5th. The aurora was first visible before midnight and could be seen throughout the night in varying intensities.

The possibility of more aurora Monday evening is good. But, as we've warned you many times before, it is much like forecasting the weather. And we all know how those forecasts have been this year.

Get to a dark place in the valley and let your eyes adjust to the night. Each person's eyes are different. Simple rule - the longer you stay out, the better you'll see. If you have a camera, set it up on a tripod (or the roof of your car) and take a short time exposure. Depending on your lens (wide angle is best) and exposure settings, you'll need to leave the lens open anywhere from 6 seconds to 30 seconds or more. Experiment. Every aurora is different. Some displays are a lot brighter than others.

The accompanying photo was taken from the Hamilton area, looking north over Missoula.